1. Field
The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to mobile electronic devices and, more particularly, to a mobile electronic device and method that enable transliteration of a text input.
2. Background Information
Numerous types of mobile electronic devices are known. Examples of such mobile electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Many mobile electronic devices also feature wireless communication capability, although many such mobile electronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices.
In certain circumstances, text in a certain alphabet or language can be phonetically input using a different alphabet, i.e., a different set of characters. By way of example, BoPoMoFo is a means by which Traditional Chinese characters can by input via the inputting of phonetic BoPoMoFo characters. The BoPoMoFo “alphabet” comprises approximately thirty-eight BoPoMoFo characters and five tones, all of which comprise phonetic content which, when input as text, can be transliterated into Traditional Chinese text.
Pinyin Chinese is another type of phonetic text input transliteration system which enables Simplified Chinese, i.e., Standard Mandarin, characters to by input via the inputting of Latin characters. A “pin” is a phonetic sound, oftentimes formed from a plurality of Latin characters, and each pin is associated with one or more Standard Mandarin characters. More than four hundred pins exist, and each pin typically corresponds with a plurality of different Standard Mandarin characters.
While such transliteration algorithms have been generally effective for their intended purpose, such transliteration algorithms have not been without limitation. It thus would be desired to provide an improved method and mobile electronic device that facilitate the inputting of text.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.